Pseudotensor problem of gravitational energy-momentum and Noether's theorem revisited

Abstract

Based on a general variational principle, Noether's theorem is revisited. It is shown that the so called pseudotensor problem of the gravitational energy-momentum is a result of mis-reading Noether's theorem, and in fact, all the Noether's conserved quantities are scalars. It is also shown, by using a counter-example, that the non-localizability of gravitational energy-momentum can not be attributed to the equivalence principle. As a direct consequence of variational principle, a generalized Hamilton-Jacobi equation for the Hamilton's principal functional is obtained.